Crochet Artist Makes a Statement by Covering Gas Station

A patchwork of knit, crochet and quilted panels covers a gas station in Syracuse, NY. This incredible installation is by crochet artist Jennifer Marsh. (All photos by Cathryn Lahm, courtesy of Jennifer Marsh)

Courtesy of Jennifer Marsh

The side of the fiber covered gas station.

Courtesy Jennifer Marsh

Preliminary sketches of the covered gas station project.

Courtesy of Jennifer Marsh

A patchwork of knit, crochet and quilted panels covers a gas station in Syracuse, NY. This incredible installation is by crochet artist Jennifer Marsh. (All photos by Cathryn Lahm, courtesy of Jennifer Marsh)

On May 5th, artist Jennifer Marsh revealed her covered gas station, part of her World Reclamation Art Project. Marsh accepted submissions of 3x3 foot squares from fiber artists all around the world to cover the abandoned gas station (located in Syracuse, NY) as a way of bringing attention to the world's dependence on oil.

Marsh has worked on crochet projects since she was little, and eventually crocheted a cozy for her parent's lawn mower, and crocheted new coats for sheep who had been shorn when she worked on a sheep farm. She sees this project as a way to get the community involved in both fiber arts and in a movement towards positive change.

Here is a video of the installation and an interview with Jennifer Marsh.

The project was scheduled to remain up until June 14th (tentatively) but that may have changed, click over to her website for the current status and exact location if you live in the area and would like to stop by.

Jennifer has expressed interest in doing more projects like this in the future, so bookmark her site and check back if you'd like to submit for the next round.

Comments (7)

TruthsBeKnown writes: mlvarcticcat writes: the real problem which is the our economy is suffering because the oil companies don't care about the US any more.

The truth is: the reason the economy is suffering is because back around 1913/16, Congress gave the authority to print money to the Federal Reserve bank. It was a totally against Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution which says "The Congress shall have the Power To ... coin Money, regulate the Value thereof ..." The Federal Reserve is a private banking corporation & is not part of the federal government. It does loan money to the federal government (us), & regulates the value of it through it's creation of money (the more $$ in circulation, the more devalued the $$), and by setting interest rates - both are supposed to be under the control of Congress, that means We The People, not a private banking corporation.

This is how it works: Every time Congress passes legislation that costs $$ (which is every bill), they take out a loan from the Federal Reserve bank. The bank in turn, asks the U.S. mint to print it. They do, give it to the Federal Reserve bank, which in turn, gives it to Congress plus interest. The actual paper money for the interest is never printed, which means it can never be paid back because it doesn't exist. This country has been accruing a mounting debt to the Federal Reserve bank for almost 100 years! Plus, with all the recent bailouts, etc., and the accompanying printing of money, the dollar is hardly worth anything any more which is why the price of everything is going up.

Congress & the mainstream media tell you it's the oil companies' fault, but that's just because they want to draw attention away from the huge deficit (in the trillions & growing) they've created which is the real cause of the devaluation of the dollar & the rising cost of everything.

And no, I'm not writing this because yarn on an old gas station inspired me to. I'm writing this because it's time for America to WAKE UP to what's really going on in this country & stop living in la-la land, spouting the same myths. It's time everyone shared the information to everyone they know, everywhere they go, because this country is headed for a great depression & The People had better WAKE UP & tend to real business if they want to get thru it unscathed as possible! The real economic pundits are telling us the debt is so great, & the Federal Reserve interest & market manipulations so mismanaged that there is no avoiding economic hardships that will last many years to come.

Cut & paste to watch this video of David Walker, of the U.S. General Accounting Office:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjZBOCAgR64
and that's only part of the problem!

Posted: 4:52 am on August 9th

mlvarcticcat writes: I agree that this totally says look at me. What better way to draw attention to the effect higher gas prices are having on our economy. 5 restaurants have gone out of business in our town. Two gasoline stations have gone out of business along my commuting route. Why? Because while the restaurants are on a popular route for commuters, people simply cannot afford to go out to eat when they are paying so much more per month in commuting costs than they did 4 months ago. The gasoline stations have gone out of business because they just cannot stay in business when the gasoline prices are so high. Folks here just won't go to a station that is charging 10 cents more than their competition. I track my gasoline expenses closely because I work 1.5 hrs away from where I live. (It's the only job I've been able to find that matches my skill set and I have been actively looking.) I cannot afford to move because I cannot sell my house. I am paying just over $80.00 per month more in gasoline expenses than I did 4 months ago. We don't go out to eat any more. My budget for back to school clothes is non-existent. I usually spend $200 on 3 or 4 new wool sweaters and a new winter coat for my daughter in the fall. That isn't going to happen this year because the budget has gone to gas. I am inspired by this artistic display and think it points out the real problem which is the our economy is suffering because the oil companies don't care about the US any more.
Posted: 8:59 am on August 6th

mizruth writes: C'mon folks, don't we need food for the soul, too? As far as the waste of material goes, I'm sure I could have made several squares out of bits and pieces that aren't good for much else.

Art is always defined by the taste of the viewer. I say anything that encourages someone to try a new craft is a good thing. Fiber arts like sewing and quilting have been on a downward spiral for a while now. The economy is changing that, but inspiration comes from many places.

As the family historian, I have many stories of the depression, but one was, my grandmother reworked the dresses they owned to look different and give their spirits a boost. I could spend a day looking at these pieces, and my spirit would be lifted. Sometimes that is what's needed.
Posted: 11:52 pm on August 5th

Carriecan writes: I love this project and I totally disagree with the comments that have posted!!! That this article has prompted such commentary proves it's worth as an important piece of art and as a statement by the artist--you were moved, albeit negatively ,to respond. Ms. Marsh has brought together a community of fiber artists to create something provocative and extraordinary out of an abandoned gas station and has got people talking. That's really cool and an inspired idea.
Posted: 10:01 pm on August 5th

Aunt_Pam writes: I TOTALLY agree with marthom1 and TruthsBeKnown. What kind of EGO does this woman have? How much money was spent to install this monstrosity not to mention all the wasted yarn and fabric and effort of the artists?

You're not "making a statement"...you're saying "LOOK AT ME"

I crochet, knit and quilt and I would NEVER donate my efforts to a "cause" like this. TruthsBeKnown makes some excellent points. But the bottom line is WHAT A WASTE!
Posted: 9:40 pm on August 5th

TruthsBeKnown writes: I agree with marthom1. What a waste of materials. With rising energy costs, seems to me a much better energy efficient use would be to make clothing for people who need them so they can stay warm. That, in itself, would save heating costs, as well as hopefully keep people from spending their limited income on warm clothes so they can buy their own food & stay off of welfare. Yes, it is all related. I hope in the future, "artists" will realize they can make a much stronger statement by DOING SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY HELPS PEOPLE instead of feeding their own egos.

If the gas station's abandoned, then let someone put it to use that will give people jobs - not make a display out of it where no one gets any work or direct benefit at all. Seems to me too many people have been watching too many Al Gore movies. Check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVw1PANUcdg
and this link:
http://www.petitionproject.org/
and this:
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/08/nasas_global_warming_misinform.html
and this one:
http://newsbusters.org/node/13282

There are more that prove the point, but you'll never hear it watching TV.
WAKE UP, AMERICA! It's just a hoax to take away more of your $$ & more of your rights & freedoms! In the meantime, people should be stocking up on food & other necessities, 'cause the nitwits in Washington are bringing on a depression the likes of which this country has never seen. And that is NO JOKE!
Posted: 7:21 pm on August 5th

marthom1 writes: Somehow I do not see how this makes us realize anything about our dependence on oil. If anything, this makes me mad as I see sooooooo many sweaters, blankets, scarves, mittens, etc. that could do good for someone that does not have. What were you thinking??!
Posted: 6:59 pm on August 5th